Keep Your Workers Trained and on the Payroll
The Empire Chapter hopes our members are staying healthy and safe during the COVID -19 crisis. We understand that many members may be looking for ways to keep their workforce productive during these ever evolving times.

As always, we can assist with online training and web based learning on a number of different safety topics, including:
OSHA 10 / OSHA 30 / Construction Industry
Asbestos/ Lead & Mold awareness
Electrical Safety
Fall Protection
Lockout / Tagout
Hazardous Communication
Ladder safety
Electrical Safety
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Silica Awareness
Work Zone Safety
Work Place Safety
If you are interested in discussing or setting up training for your employees, please feel free to contact Amy Platenik: platenik@abcnys.org  or call 585-363-1657
$349 Billion Federal Paycheck Protection Program
Begins Today
What You Need to Know:
Starting today businesses can go to a participating SBA 7(a) lender, bank, or credit union, apply for a loan, and be approved on the same day.  The loans will be forgiven as long as the funds are used to keep employees on the payroll and for certain other expenses.

The program will provide capital to businesses without collateral requirements, personal guarantees, or SBA fees. All loan payments will be deferred for six months. Most importantly, the SBA will forgive the portion of the loan proceeds that are used to cover the first eight weeks of payroll costs, rent, utilities, and mortgage interest.

The new loan program will be available retroactive from Feb. 15, 2020, so employers can rehire their recently laid-off employees through June 30, 2020.

LOAN TERMS & CONDITIONS:

  • All businesses, including non-profits, Veterans organizations, Tribal concerns, sole proprietorships, self-employed individuals, and independent contractors, with 500 or fewer employees, or no greater than the number of employees set by the SBA as the size standard for certain industries are eligible.
  • Maximum loan amount up to $10 million
  • Loan forgiveness if proceeds used for payroll costs and other designated business operating expenses in the 8 weeks following the date of loan origination (due to likely high subscription, it is anticipated that not more than 25% of the forgiven amount may be for non-payroll costs)

All loans under this program will have the following identical features:
o  Interest rate of 0.5%
o  Maturity of 2 years
o  First payment deferred for six months
o  100% guarantee by SBA
o  No collateral
o  No personal guarantees
o  No borrower or lender fees payable to SBA
Loan Forgiveness:
 
  • Principal amounts on PPP loans, for the first 8-week period from when the PPP Loan is made, may be forgiven, if loan funds are used to cover payroll costs, interest payments on mortgages (not including prepayments or principal), rent and utilities.
 
  • The amount of a PPP loan that may be forgiven cannot exceed the principal amount of the loan. The amount forgiven will be reduced proportionally by any reduction in employees retained compared to the prior year and reduced by the reduction in pay of any employee beyond 25 percent of their prior year compensation. Payroll costs are capped at $100,000 on an annualized basis for each employee.
 
  • To encourage employers to rehire any employees who have already been laid off due to the COVID-19 crisis, borrowers that re-hire workers previously laid off will not be penalized for having a reduced payroll at the beginning of the period.
 
  • The Act also directs the SBA to issue guidance and regulations implementing the PPP Loan forgiveness provisions within 30 days.

PPP Eligibility:
 
  • The bill defines eligibility for these loans as a small business, 501(c)(3) or 501(a) nonprofit, a 501(c)(19) veteran’s organization, or Tribal business concern described in section 31(b)(2)(C) of the Small Business Act with not more than 500 employees, or the applicable size standard for the industry as provided by SBA, if higher.
 
  • Sole-proprietors, independent contractors, and other self-employed individuals as eligible for loans and allows businesses with more than one physical location that employs no more than 500 employees per physical location in certain industries, mainly franchise and food services, are also eligible.
 
  • The bill requires eligible borrowers to make a good faith certification that the loan is necessary due to the uncertainty of current economic conditions caused by COVID-19, and that they will use the funds to retain workers and maintain payroll, lease, and utility payments.
 
  • Borrowers also must not be receiving duplicative funds for the same uses from another SBA program and participation in a PPP loan excludes businesses from taking advantage of tax programs included in the CARES Act to prevent double dipping into these federal programs.
 
  • SBA-certified lenders are only required to determine whether a business was operational on February 15, 2020, and had employees for whom it paid salaries and payroll taxes for eligibility in the PPP. 


T he Paycheck Protection Program is specifically designed to help small businesses keep their workforce employed. Visit  SBA.gov/Coronavirus  for more information on the Paycheck Protection Program. Visit treasury.gov/cares  for more information on SBA’s assistance to small businesses.
Paycheck Protection Program Webinar Today!

Businesses across the country are being affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19). Fortunately, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that provides substantial financial relief for business and individuals. In this webinar, our tax experts will walk participants through the provisions in the recently enacted CARES Act and the impact on business and individuals.

Topics covered include:
·     Paycheck Protection Loan Forgiveness Program and the loan application process
·     Individual and business tax provisions of the CARES Act 
·     Other related provisions

WEBINAR DATE AND TIME:

Fri., April 3
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m